News to Use

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NEWS TO USE
Wartime facts about the goods you sell. . . Use them in advertising copy . . . in planning displays . . . in training store personnel. . . .
Prepared by the WPB Division of Information
Basic distribution through the courtesy of NRDGA and NRFA. Dec. 1943
Give Them Facts About Gifts
Holiday shoppers naturally want to know how gift merchandise is related to wartime regulations, changes and adjustments. Shoppers, familiar with the facts, will choose wisely, be understanding about shortages, blame Hitler and Hirohito—rather than your store—for any disappointments.
For your convenience, this "News to Use" presents groups of Christmas goods, gives you the WPB highlights for each group. Some facts, however, apply generally.
Gifts are not the subject of any WPB order. For gift purposes, merchandise is no more nor less controlled than for other purposes.
Materials are under wartime strains. Some are too critical to be used for general civilian purposes. Others are available only in reduced quantity. Still others, not short in themselves, can't be processed in endless quantity. Metals, paper, leather, textiles, wood, finishing materials are all deeply involved in war problems.
Facilities making civilian goods are, in a great number of instances, also being used for war orders. This is particularly important in the textile field, where spindles make yarns to weave both military and civilian goods, and looms must weave both.
Manpower is not available in sufficient quantity to make war goods plus all the civilian products people might like to buy. This means that a good many of the less essential articles will be absent from this year's holiday lines, that variety of style and color will almost invariably be less than in peacetime.
Imported articles are few. This wartime condition often leaves holiday stocks without a good many of the unusual novelties and exquisite luxuries which shoppers had learned to expect.
Containers are by no means plentiful. Demand from the Armed Forces is enormous; materials and facilities less than enough for military requirements plus endless civilian supply. Delay in obtaining containers may, in some cases, slow the movement of gift goods. Container simplification leaves Christmas counters with few fancy packages.
Transportation is under the greatest difficulties in our history. Unquestionably there will sometimes be delays in the delivery of eagerly awaited goods. Manpower figures in this problem, as in all others, for someone must handle each carton of holiday goods.
Inventories of goods made before existing restrictions, or even before the war, still exist in diminishing quantities. They will sometimes make possible the purchase of merchandise which is no longer being made or imported.
These facts, plus many more in this "News to Use", will make your holiday advertising copy informative, your holiday displays in keeping with the times, your holiday salespeople better able to answer customers' questions.
TELL WHILE YOU SELL
[Remainder omitted at the 4000-character cap: the sheet continues with illustrated panels headed Silverware, Handkerchiefs, Gift Wrappings, Mirrors . . . Pictures, Handbags, Belts, Toys and Dolls, Lingerie . . . all types, Blankets, Comforts, Sporting Goods, Furniture, Games . . . all types, Trees, Ornaments, Sweaters . . . all types, Slippers . . . all types, Stationery, Electrical Goods, Books, all types, Hosiery, all types, Beauty Articles, Gloves . . . all types, Luggage . . . all types, Men's Furnishings, Toilet Articles, Cameras . . . Film, Apparel Novelties, Jewelry . . . Watches and China . . . Glass, each with a short paragraph on wartime restrictions, and the imprint U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943 O - 581048.]